Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-08
IKB PLANETS IN MAY.
Scientific Forecast of the Move
mcnts of the Celestial Dodies.
lProvidence journal.


mcnts of the Celestial Bodies.
Providence Journal
ShTrRN is evening star. Though ex-
ceeded in size and brilliancy by Venus
and Jupiter, we give him the place of
Lonor on the planetary records of May,
for. after the passage of this month, his
light will grow dim among the brother
hood, owing to his near approach to the
great luminary. Saturn also figures
in the most interesting planet
arv event Of the month. On
tie seth, at MONDAY, Saturn and
Venus are IN conjunction, the ringed
wonder of the skies being at that time
T. o l5 south of the fairest of the stars
A powerful telescope will bring out the
planets OF the time of conjunction, or
Mt the moment when they are IN the
same right ascension but observers
with the unaided eye will find lovely
picture painted on the celestial canvas
on the evenings of the 29th and 3Oth. 1
On the former evening Saturn VIII be
east of Venus, and on the latter evening
he will be west of her. The meet
ing and passing of two large planets is
always noteworthy event. The moon,
On the day of her first quarter, will
lend her silvery light to the scene, and
the two bright planets will hang side by
side in the western sky, coming into
view soon after sunset, and continuing
TO adorn the armament until after 10
O'Clock. 1t is as interesting to watch
the approach Of the two planets as 1t is
to observe them when they are at the
nearest point, and this may be done on
every evening during the month.
JUPITER is evening star, and is su-
perb object during the month. de rises
on the lst about half hour before sun
set. and makes his royal progress sur
rounded by the same body-guard OF
brilliant first-magnitude stars-Spica on
the west, Arc.urus on the north, and
Reeulus on the northwest. He is now
rttrograding or moving west. APP
preaching Spica. The closing eve
nings of the month will be special
" beautiful. Jupiter and his lovely
companion Spica will be near the me-
ridian at Q o'clock, and will look down
upon Venus and Saturn approaching
each other and descending i'll the west,
with Castor and PolluX keeping guard
on the north. ANY one interested IN
The stars will easily find for himself
the actors in the scenes we have at
tempted to describe, though no de-
sc1iption can do Justice to the exquisite
beauty of the star-spangled armament.
The starry canopy is more highly APP
preciated when one knows by name the
first-magnitude stars. When these
are once known they cannot be forgot
ten, for the fixed stars return every
wear to the same places in the sky at
the same season. In May Spica, Arc
turus, Regulus, Castor, and Pollux
will be found in the same position they
occupy at present The month OF May
will. however, return for many years
before the three planets Jupiter, We
nus. and Saturn will hold the same
relative position in regard to each
other
VENUS is evening star. 1t seems SUI
perfiuousto call attention to the bright
est star that is ever seen by mortal
Cycs. forSince men began to study the
| heavens her movements have been fol-
lowed with surprising interest, and
every fattering epithet that language
affords has been used in describing her
varied aspects. She is now the most
interesting object that beams from
the star-depths, always excepting
the sun end moon, and no one
can behold her as she tracks her
course en- the celestial arena without
an involuntary exclamation OF delight
in gazing upon her bewitching lowell
ness. She will make her shining way
during the present month in the neigh
borhoOd OF several stars as she goes to
take her part in that most interesting
event, the meeting with Saturn, on the
3Otb, already described. On the 9th
she will be in conjunction with Beta
Tauri, being 81 so south. On the 9TH
she is in conjunction with Zeta Tauri,
being A. north. On the l4th she has en-
tered new constellation. and is in con-
junction with Zeta Gemini, being 4
north. On the 9th she is at her near
est point to Castor, and on the Both
she closes her brilliant career for the
month by her conjunction with Saturn.
An opera glass will aid the observer In
tracing these conjunctions
URANUS is evening star. Considera-
BILE interest is attached to his position,
for he is one of the three planets that
are visible in the constellation of the
Virgin during the whole month. The
three planets are Jupiter, Uranus, and
the asteIoid Vesta.
NEPTUNE is evening star until the
18th, when he becomes morning star.
On the 18th, at o'clock in the after
noon, lie is in conjunction with the sun,
and, passing from lis eastern TO his
western side, becomes morning star.
Until Neptune's conjunction occurs the
four giant planets, since Jupiter's OPP
position on the 21st, have been on the
eastern side Of the sun, and, OF course,
evening stars. On the Odd Neptune,
travelling from the sun, meets Mercury
| TRAVELLING eastward toward the sun.
| MERCURY is morning star until the
9th, and then changes his rote 10 eve
ming star. On the 9th, at 9 o'clock in
the morning, he Is in superior conjunc-
ton with the sun, aud passing behind
him, changes from his western to his
! eastern side, and like all the planets